Nighat Clinical Anxiety Scale (NCAS) Development and Validation

Abstract

The current research aimed to create and validate the Nighat Clinical Anxiety Scale (NCAS), a psychometric tool specifically intended for assessing anxiety in the targeted population. A total of (N =550) participants were selected to assess the instrument's reliability, validity, and factor structure. The results indicated an acceptable level of internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .747) and robust split-half reliability (r = .86). Significant positive correlations within inter items of the current construct evidence of convergent validity, while low or negative relationships with unrelated constructs supported divergent validity. Total inter items correlation range between.39 - .97 with crown alpha reliability range .641 - .83 indicated the high construct validity.  Exploratory  identified a distinct multidimensional structure, reflecting the cognitive, affective, and somatic aspects of anxiety, which aligns with theoretical models. Additionally, independent samples t-tests validated the scale’s ability to differentiate between clinical and non-clinical groups, as well as across genders. Overall, these findings indicate that the NCAS is a reliable, valid, and culturally appropriate tool for measuring anxiety, demonstrating strong potential for use in clinical settings and research.

Keywords: Nighat Clinical Anxiety Scale (NCAS), Internal Consistency, Split Half Reliability, Convergent Validity, Divergent Validity, Exploratory Analysis.